Red Hot Peppers

Look what just came off my easel!
I started with a 24" square stretched canvas. Next came a few layers of yellow ochre acrylic paint. Once that was dry, I mapped in the shape of the bowl and pencilled in some markings for the peppers.
The beautifully coloured peppers were grown on our deck this past summer. The bowl was brought back from a recent trip to Mazatlan. Working from a photo I took this fall, I started to lay in the colours and blacked the background.
Once I had that all figured out, the photo went away and I began to play.
"Red Hot Peppers"
Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

Hot off the Palette

This is a painting that I started in my new studio/gallery and have recently completed.

I began by putting a few layers of medium green paint on the canvas - just to get me in the forest mood.

Working roughly from a photograph that I took last fall, I thought about how many trees I would include in the composition - deciding on 5 as odd numbers always look more balanced.

Once I got the tree trunks in place, the fun began as the leaves took shape on the branches or falling in mid air.

A bit more playing around with colour, shadows and highlights and the piece was complete.

"Fallen Leaves" acrylic, 12 x 24"

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

Yellow Rose

Started months ago ... recently completed.

I planted a climbing rose this past spring, and was thrilled that it did so well after only a few months. It trails along the fence and consistently rewards us with many beautiful blossoms. It was still blooming up until a few weeks ago when we had our first snowfall.

Sometimes I get all excited about a painting, work on it for awhile, then ... come to a screeching stop, as I hit a brick wall.

At that point I will often put it away for awhile. Whenever you find yourself stuck...take a break, stop thinking about it and when you begin again it will be like looking at it with fresh eyes.

acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14"

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

Underwater Beauty

This recent painting is a triptych - each panel is 5 x 7" acrylic on canvas.

This takes me back to my scuba diving days - where I would often go to the carribbean to scuba dive. Yes I was a rescue diver with over 100 dives under my belt. How beautiful to see these brightly coloured creatures, poking their heads out from behind corals.

If you take a second look you will notice that these paintings can be rearranged in three different ways, which I didn't realize till about half way through the process.

How FUN is that!!

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan